1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a karaoke apparatus in which a plurality of singers can sing at a time by using a plurality of microphones for singing.
2. Background
A scoring function of converting a singing voice input through a microphone into a voice signal and scoring the karaoke singing voice based on the frequency, the volume, and the like of the voice signal is practically used. In recent years, also the following karaoke apparatus is practically used. In the karaoke apparatus, a singing voice of a user is scored by the scoring function and the point of the scoring is displayed, and, in addition, a game in which a story or the like develops in accordance with the point is implemented, so that the karaoke singing is more joyfully enjoyed.
If the scoring function is applied to a game, in many cases, a plurality of singers are requested to play a match because of the settings of the game. Even if a conventional karaoke apparatus includes a plurality of microphones, however, only a singing voice of one channel can be scored. For this reason, in a case where two persons sing at a time, points for respective persons cannot be scored and the points cannot be compared with each other at the time. The points for both persons can be obtained with a time difference corresponding to one karaoke music piece. Therefore, an upsurge of emotion in the game is disadvantageously reduced.
If a game is set in such a manner that a plurality of persons sing at a time and play a match, the singers sing a song by using individual microphones and the karaoke apparatus discriminates the singers (players of the game) by using the identification numbers of the microphones. In a parlor such as a karaoke box, however, a singer rarely checks which microphone the singer uses. In a case where a singer sings while the singer does not know which microphone the singer uses, or in a case where the singer sings with a wrong recognition of a microphone, the development of the game is disadvantageously wasted.
It is an object of the invention to provide a karaoke apparatus in which a plurality of singers can sing at a time and play a match, and a karaoke apparatus in which a plurality of microphones can be easily identified.
According to the first aspect of the invention, there is provided a karaoke apparatus including: a performing device which performs a karaoke music piece, a plurality of microphones for singing through which singing voices of individual singers are respectively input during a performance of the karaoke music piece; a scoring device which individually scores a plurality of singing voices input through the plurality of microphones for singing, for each predetermined performance section of the karaoke music piece; and a superiority/inferiority displaying device displaying which singing voice of a singer is superior during or immediately after a performance of the predetermined performance section, based on a score result of the scoring device.
According to the second aspect of the invention, the scoring device may score a singing voice on each of a plurality of factors including a frequency and a volume, and the superiority/inferiority displaying device may display superiority/inferiority of the singing voice for each of the factors in different display manners.
According to the third aspect of the invention, there is provided a karaoke apparatus which includes a plurality of microphones for singing, and displays evaluations of singing voices respectively input through the microphones for singing in a performance of a karaoke music piece, with respectively predetermined display contents, and a microphone identifying device which receives a voice signal from one of the microphones for singing before the performance of the karaoke music piece is started, and displays an identification indicative of display contents to which the one microphone through which the voice signal is input corresponds.
According to the fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided a karaoke apparatus which includes: a performing device which performs a karaoke music piece; a microphone for singing through which a singing voice of a singer is input during a performance of the karaoke music piece; an image displaying device which displays an image with a motion during the performance of the karaoke music piece; and a motion controlling device which controls the motion of the image in accordance with a singing voice input through the microphone for singing.
According to the fifth aspect of the invention, there is provided a karaoke apparatus which includes: a performing device which performs a karaoke music piece; a plurality of microphones for singing through which singing voices of individual singers are respectively input during a performance of the karaoke music piece; an image displaying device which displays a plurality of images with motions which respectively correspond to the plurality of microphones for singing, during the performance of the karaoke music piece; a scoring device which individually scores a plurality of singing voices input through the plurality of microphones for singing, for each predetermined performance section of the karaoke music piece; and a motion controlling device which controls motions of one or more of the images based on a score result of the scoring device.
In the karaoke apparatus of the first aspect of the invention, singing voices of different singers which are input through the plurality of microphones in a performance of a karaoke music piece are individually scored, thereby enabling a plurality of score results (points) to be calculated. The calculation of the points is performed for each predetermined performance section such as a phrase of a music piece. The plurality of points are compared with each other, and information of which singer""s singing voice is superior is displayed in real time. In this way, a plurality of singers can play at a time a match related to superiority/inferiority of singing voices.
In the karaoke apparatus of the second aspect of the invention, the scoring is performed for each of the plurality of factors such as a frequency (a musical interval), a volume, and timing (a tempo feeling). The superiority/inferiority of the compared results is displayed in different display manners. Therefore, a plurality of singers can easily recognize their superior points and inferior points.
In a karaoke apparatus which displays evaluations of singing voices input through a plurality of microphones for singing in different display contents, it is required for each of a plurality of singers to know which microphone the singer uses. According to the third aspect of the invention, therefore, a voice is input through a microphone prior to a karaoke performance, and information indicative of the microphone through which the voice is input (the identification number of the microphone) is then displayed. Accordingly, the correspondence relationship between a singer and a microphone can be easily understood.
The invention is applicable also to a karaoke apparatus in which harmonization processing of different parts is conducted for voice signals input through a plurality of microphones for singing, or different display controls are conducted (for example, a character is moved) in response to the voice signals input through the respective microphones.
In the karaoke apparatus of the fourth aspect of the invention, the motion of an image displayed on a screen is controlled based on a voice input through a microphone for singing during a karaoke performance. An image of a character imitating a human being or the like may be used as the image. According to this configuration, the condition of singing is represented by the motion of the image and hence can be easily understood in a visual manner.
In the karaoke apparatus of the fifth aspect of the invention, singing voices input through the plurality of microphones for singing are individually scored and motions of the plurality of images are controlled in accordance with the score results. If characters playing a match are displayed, for example, an image having a higher score result is moved so as to attack the opponent. Therefore, it is possible to visually know which singer is superior, on the basis of the motions of the images.